Cy-Fair leaders seek improvement district

A group of Cy-Fair community leaders is pushing for the formation of a community improvement district that could steer sales-tax money to community improvements.

The Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce, the core group backing the cause, has introduced their proposal to legislators, business leaders and school district officials. Pending approval from the 2003 Texas Legislature, an election is required to give the district taxing power.

If voters approve the improvement district, an additional 1-cent sales tax could be assessed. Proposed district boundaries mirror that of the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District and include Grant and Louetta roads to the north, Clay Road to the south, Texas 249 and Hollister roads to the east and House Haul Road to the west.

The improvement district could generate $3 million to $4 million a year, part of which would pay for a professional staff, said Darcy Mingoia, Cy-Fair Chamber president. A staff could help lure businesses to the area, she said.

"We are in unincorporated Harris County. We don't have a mayor and need an organization to look at the whole area," Mingoia said. "The Cy-Fair chamber just doesn't have enough money to do all of the development and marketing we want to do in without constantly going to the community for money for each project."

Money generated by the improvement district also could be used to help pay for marketing, master-planning and transportation, Mingoia said.

For example, she said, funds could be used to leverage money for public improvement projects such as roads. The district could pay for planning or preliminary engineering studies, which could help push a road project higher on state and county transportation planners' lists.

Other goals include the development of a top-level office complex, industrial parks, retail and entertainment centers, and a conference and hotel center.

"We will also work with Cy-Fair College to make sure the businesses in this area have the skilled work force they need," Mingoia said.

The district would primarily target commercial development for many reasons, she said, one being an increased tax base for the Cy-Fair school district.

This year, enrollment in Cy-Fair schools exceeded 71,000. It takes the taxes from a $270,000 home to educate one student, Mingoia said, and the average home in Cy Fair is valued at $175,000. This year, the district will reach its taxing cap -- $1.48 per $100 valuation, Mingoia said, adding that the state funding picture does not look good.

"The improvement district must attract good, clean commercial development to this are so we can maintain our quality school district," Mingoia said. "Commercial development would help balance the tax base."

The district's consulting team, Hawes, Hill and Associates, will file the district's legislation in December. David Hawes, one of the consultants, said that he does not expect any problems getting the bill through.

"This is a local bill, and we are not asking for any appropriation of state money," he said.

Hawes said he doesn't see a problem from a economic standpoint, either, citing a state budget crisis.

"Here's a group coming in and saying, `We'll help ourselves,' " Hawes said.